#527076 - 09/28/05 03:03 PM
Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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vvvm
Planeteer
Registered: 07/29/05
Posts: 19598
Loc: Clark & Washington
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Purchased From: Vs Planet Store
Price Paid: US$130
Review: This is a ver' useful pre, quiet, with a nice clean sound an' a kinda silly starved toob eefect that you kin blend in. The clean sound iz ver' good on vocalz an' I uze it fur setch az well az acoostic geetar; the HPF iz ver' handy az i iz the pre an' post meterin'. It wif the silly toobey add on tho' that I iz reelly in luv. It jes' givez a cool distorshun sense to vox whut hep'z 'em sit nice, an' yet cut. Cuppled wif the impedance switch whut kin vary the soun' a tetch, it useful fur layerin back vox.
I purty much keep a cheep Chinee Bellwanger B1 plugged into it an' uze thru my patchbay into pooter an' thru software pressor az voc chain #2.
I note that I haz also D.I.'d a electrik geetar fur a quick demo, an' it sounded quite nicely.
Summary of Pros: Inexpensive, nice cleen sound, useful toob effek to vary sound, metal case.
Summary of Cons: Odd shape that requirez it to be purty much top unit inna stack; cain't eezy rack mount, wall wart, kin get a li'l hot, HPF butt no other EQ an' jes' a pre, no pressor or nuffin'.
Links to Audio Examples of Using the Product: This pre all over recent Vlayman an' Untogether trax; it my go-to backin' vocal pre, az abuv. My toon, "You Took The Heart of Me" offa Skata del Coyote (I thank, heh-heh) have vox thru the pressor wif the toob alla way added; it make 'em sound ver' much like "Manic Mechanic" frum ZZ Top, a li'l NINish.
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#527077 - 09/28/05 03:27 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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Tom Mix
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 10/15/01
Posts: 32942
Loc: Mootown, Wisconsin
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What I like about mine, is being able to get the right combination solid state and tube mixed together for my voice. This unique feature makes it very apaptable to whatever you are recording.
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#527078 - 02/19/06 07:36 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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vvvm
Planeteer
Registered: 07/29/05
Posts: 19598
Loc: Clark & Washington
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Update hazin' uzed this six monfz:
Az a pre, the VTB1 iz in my opinyum terrifik. I cain' clame to be soopah ezpeeryunced wif pre'z butt I like it az much az any I own (Meek VC3Q, ART TPS2, the Mackie 1202 ol'-skool, Alesis 1622, etc). It haz a awesum cleen sound, an' I find the starv-toob thang a reel interestin' an' varyuhbull flava; the HPF iz usefull, polarty reverse, switchabull fantum, pre an' post meterin'...
Me, I mos' uze it az my fecund voc. pre, whut meenz sum leed vox an' mos' bax. Of all thangz, I thank it makez cheep Chinee LDC'z sound good, speshully my Bellwanger B1.
This thang eelly awter be mo' well-knowed than it iz; I feel aboot it like the folx post aboot the RNC pressor (wifout the bass pro'lem); it seemz way mo' valyoobull than it costz an' I ain' find nuffin' I cain' uze it on.
So, Sound:4/5 oluvz (jes' acuz at this price it cain' possibully be a 5, now, cain' it? )
Flexibility: 5/5 oluvz (only pozzibull add wood be a pressor an' EQ like my Meek, butt that mo' a channull than jes' a pre)
Build: 3/5 oluvz (ain' armored; wall-wart)
Loox: 3/5 oluvz (so whut)
Price/value ratio: 5/5 oluvz
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#527079 - 02/20/06 03:37 AM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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glensimonds
Planeteer
Registered: 12/14/02
Posts: 19559
Loc: Brooklyn Park, MN
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Good review I am convinced to purchase one even though i don't know what for if i get a hot enuff signal direct ? how will it help ?
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#527080 - 02/21/06 02:49 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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LakeStone Karl
Planeteer
Registered: 06/26/02
Posts: 15821
Loc: Eastern PA, USA
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I like your oluvz scale. Can we get an little oluv graemlin?
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#527081 - 09/08/06 06:46 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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Memphis Monroe
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/12/02
Posts: 26977
Loc: Pensacola, FL
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I have been very happy with mine. I don’t have anything but other budget pres, like an ART, a Blue Tube, two Behringer Ultra Gains, and my Mackie 1604’s pres, to compare it with. Yet, of all those preamps the VTB-1 is by far my fav.
Cheers,
Chris
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#527082 - 09/18/06 09:50 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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Timster
Artist #'s - 130, 298, 412
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 03/06/03
Posts: 42850
Loc: Center of the Universe
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I love mine, I love it, I love it. I love it way more than my old presonous blue tube mic pre.
Did i tell you I love it, goes along very nicely with my SP C3
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#527084 - 10/25/07 07:11 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
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KenMeister
Planeteer/Artist # 53
Planeteer
Registered: 09/28/02
Posts: 3607
Loc: Carson City, Nevada
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I love mine too. I like the mu switch too. Even though the mu isn't 'variable', just the two positions can cover a myriad of different mics and applications. It's one utilitarian little mf'er. Anyone know what their eight channel version sounds like?
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#712276 - 06/09/08 07:00 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
[Re: Bassmusician]
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Timster
Artist #'s - 130, 298, 412
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 03/06/03
Posts: 42850
Loc: Center of the Universe
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I often plug my bass right in there, if I tweak it right, sounds dang good.
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#728630 - 07/18/08 10:59 AM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
[Re: vvvm]
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Dan7
Planeteer
Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 7816
Loc: NJ/NYC by way of Texas, Mexico...
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Purchased From: ....have vox thru the pressor wif the toob alla way added; it make 'em sound ver' much like "Manic Mechanic" frum ZZ Top, a li'l NINish.
kewl, I think I will need one of these...
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#728993 - 07/18/08 11:28 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
[Re: Dan7]
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vvvm
Planeteer
Registered: 07/29/05
Posts: 19598
Loc: Clark & Washington
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I love the little thing, and where I use the Meek VC3Q for a colored vocal or other mic'd sound, I find the VTB1 can be much cleaner, and is also awesome to use after a guitar-amp emulator, or just as a DI for bass, etc. The starved-tube can be very nice on the DI and emulator stuff.
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#963896 - 03/24/10 04:44 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
[Re: vvvm]
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freddy2000
Planeteer
Registered: 12/23/09
Posts: 39
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Have two of these--the absolute best of the budget pres. The tube blend feature is great. I use it in a chain with ART proVLA compressor. Great results. Before spending big bucks, consider this unit. It's a bargain.
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#968110 - 04/05/10 05:16 PM
Re: Mic Pre : Studio Projects : VTB-1
[Re: freddy2000]
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Memphis Monroe
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/12/02
Posts: 26977
Loc: Pensacola, FL
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I’ve had mine now for many years and still use it. It’s a very good unit, but I’m not sure if it’s “the best” among the bargain pres anymore, considering that both Electra Harmonix and Golden Age Projects have their bargain pre offerings. However, those options still cost considerably more than $99. So, I think the VTB-1 is worth owning. If nothing else, it makes for a good backup pre.
Chris
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